Writing in the Age of AI

Any Battlestar Galactica fans out there? I am, no doubt. The 2004 remake of the TV show introduced me to the black hole of binge-watching. :) For any who don’t know, it’s a military science fiction TV series that tells the story of a small group of the only surviving humans defending their lives against the Cylons, androids they created who are determined to eliminate the human race. Take a breath; it’s not real…yet. Though current artificial intelligence (AI) in general, and Chat GPT in particular, is not at that level of intelligence (that we know of), I cannot help but feel my spidey senses tingling with the rapid increase in AI. 

If you read Ray Kurzweil’s predictions in The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology, written back in 2005, this rapid increase in AI is likely not a surprise. He predicted the exponential increase of technologies and AI and argued that once the singularity is reached, machine intelligence will infinitely surpass all human intelligence combined. The year he set for the singularity - the moment machines’ intelligence and humans merge? 2045. 

I don’t know about you, but that feels closer than I am comfortable with - just 22 years in the future. That being said, it feels both practical and advantageous to embrace the abilities of these new AI tools like Chat GPT now in order to grow and advance as people and businesses. I am someone who consciously chooses not to let fear rule my consciousness, so in the spirit of being ruled by love, I am going to go out on a limb and ask: how could AI help us grow into more loving beings? Any tool can be used for good or bad intentions, so let’s use the AI tools we are given for good. Who’s with me?! Without knowing how many people are cheering in agreement out there (and with the Cylon Wars in the back of my mind), I would say a healthy level of discernment around AI is warranted. 

Chat GPT as a Tool

For any who are unfamiliar with the latest AI tool that is taking the world by storm, Chat GPT is an app that uses NLP (natural language processing). You give it a prompt, and it generates a response based on an internet search. It is essentially crowdsourcing the world’s information and popping out responses based on all of the data it surveys. This can be extremely helpful for a variety of research and content-generating purposes. Though many see it as competitive, it can be an assistive tool for many fields such as writing, photography, graphics, music and programming. It can be used for everything from brainstorming names for a new product to suggesting a workout routine, handling social media comments to learning to program code. 

However, as with any new tech tool, there are issues to work out and limitations to be aware of. On the first couple pop-ups when trying Chat GPT, it notified me with these warnings:

On safety:

“While we have safeguards in place, the system may occasionally generate incorrect or misleading information and produce offensive or biased content. It is not intended to give advice.”

On security: 

“Please don't share any sensitive information in your conversations.”

These are helpful to keep in mind. I almost wish they popped up each time you log on to use it since our menial human brains have a hard time remembering nuances like these. It “chats” with ease, much like a person might, and I can easily see how people may come to trust everything it produces. Another limitation to keep in mind is its lack of current information. It contains: “Limited knowledge of world and events after 2021.” 

People Come First

While I am a huge fan of helpful tools, I am an even bigger fan of people. People first, to be exact. People-first business relationships and writing make my world go round. As Seth Godin, marketing guru, said, “People do not buy goods and services. People buy relations, stories and magic.” 

The relationships we build with other people form the foundation for most of our businesses. Therefore, any tools we use to augment or support our business efforts must strengthen those relationships, not weaken them. Will people’s duties and roles change due to AI? Most definitely. They already are changing. However, instead of fearing that AI will replace people, perhaps we would be better served to consider how AI can help people, make systems more efficient, and free people up to do more important work.

Content vs. Writing

Chat GPT primarily generates content. Content (what makes up most of the internet) is almost always artless. Writing, on the other hand, is an artful, personal, and connective creative act. Content fits someone else’s need for words in a frame, and it rarely inspires or moves you. High quality writing is the opposite. It often inspires, moves and elevates you - it makes you sit up and pay attention. While content is typically just words put together in formulaic fashion, well-written articles, posts and books are unique and transcend language. While oxymoronic - how can writing transcend language? - it is true. 

The best writing I have ever read tells stories in magical ways that go far beyond the limitations of language. It conjures images that make you feel alive and present - in the story. It is teleportative. Magical writing uses the space between words to evoke emotion. It forces us to put the book, page or screen down and reflect. It evokes wonder and makes us say, “Wow!” outloud. How do you know you’ve experienced magical writing in your body? I know because it gives me the tingles and sometimes feels like warmth radiating outwards from my heart.

The Value of the Word

This brings us to the value of our word as human beings - written, read, spoken and heard. If words can so easily be collected and spat back at us by machine intelligence, where is their worth? I believe it is in the conscious creation, choosing and shaping we writers do when we write. AI may be able to imitate word choice, compilation, and structures, but the fact remains - it is not conscious. 

We, as humans, can utilize tools like Chat GPT to source information and speed up our creative efforts, but in the end, we are still the ones responsible for shaping the final result. Does it align with your mission and vision? Your voice? Your brand? No matter how impressive the results are from AI tools, no one knows you, your craft or your business like you do. You are one-of-a-kind for a reason. High quality writing reveals the uniqueness we each possess and connects us with each other.

In The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, he begins his agreements with the most important: Be impeccable with your word. I find this extremely applicable here in the age of AI. If we allow machines to do all of our work for us, our word becomes worthless. It is no longer ours. There is an ownership in writing high caliber work that is deserted when we relegate all “creativity” to a machine. The tool is simply a tool, not the owner. The owner must wield the tool wisely to accurately reflect what they mean to communicate. 

“Through the word you express your creative power. It is through the word that you manifest everything. Regardless of what language you speak, your intent manifests through the word. What you dream, what you feel, and what you really are, will all be manifested through the word. The word is not just a sound or a written symbol. The word is a force; it is the power you have to express and communicate, to think, and thereby to create the events in your life.” -Don Miguel Ruiz

Do I Still Need Professional Writing Services?

I have had people ask me, “Are you worried about Chat GPT making you obsolete?” “Why would businesses need your services now that they have Chat GPT?” In response, I usually lead with Seth Godin’s quote I mentioned earlier, and I share that if someone thinks I can be replaced by Chat GPT, they’re not a good client for me anyway. My value does not lie in researching and reporting content (though that is part of what I do), but rather in understanding each business’s voice and purpose on such a clear level that I write the magical messaging they need and strategize with them on the best ways to reach their target audience. 

Capturing the voice of an owner, founder or business entity in writing is no small thing. Aligning messaging with branding, mission and vision is essential for consistency and clarity. I fact-check (essential if you are using AI), edit and refine my writing in order to provide the highest quality communication possible for my clients. In short, I consciously and strategically craft writing that propels my clients’ missions forward. 

It is a multi-faceted approach, akin to conducting a symphony with words. I meet, interview and listen to owners, employees, and customers, take meticulous notes and write messaging that moves the right people. The project management, follow-through and execution alone are all beyond the current scope of AI. This is the work of an owner, not a tool. Consciousness and discernment are required to know the difference.

It All Comes Back to Human Connection

Ultimately though, my real value as a writer lies in human connection. The connection I experience with readers, clients and friends through my writing is well-worth the creative effort I put into it. And hearing business owners report improved reach and connections with their clients, employees and audience is exponentially rewarding; it is my own singularity of joy, if you will. I want to do business with people who want to connect with me and value the ways we can help each other. Afterall, as a song from my childhood (good ol’ Billy Dean) reminds us, “We are only here for a little while.” 

My hope is that we can find joy and progress in using AI tools while simultaneously being impeccable with our words, honoring our voices and valuing irreplaceable human connections.

So say we all.